Jack



March 27, 1956 J cE 2,739,786

JACK

Filed May 4, 1955 ,ZIIIIIIIIIII INVENTOR. JESS H. RICE syfim /4M km ATTY.

United States Patent f JACK Jess H. Rice, Akron, Ohio Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,605

7 Claims. (Cl. 254-99) This invention relates to a jack, and more particularly a tripod bumper jack to be used with an automobile.

The jack of this invention includes a tubular column supported on its lower end, and if the jack is a tripod jack this tubular column forms one of the three legs of the tripod. One side of the column is slotted, preferably from the top to the bottom, and the lifting arm projects through this slot. The lift screw is supported in the jack at only on end, and it is preferably suspended from the top, the bottom end being free to be moved laterally within the column. Within the column the lifting arm includes a portion which is threaded around the lift screw and adapted to slide against one inner surface of the column, and another portion which is adapted to slide on the opposite inner surface of the column as the lifting arm is raised or lowered by turning the left screw. These two portions of the lifting arm are separated a considerable distance so that when a heavy weight is applied to the lifting arm it will not bind on the screw or against the walls of the column. The threaded portion of the lifting arm is preferably a malleable nut and the balance of this arm is preferably formed of two stampings which are suitably fastened together and engaged with the screw.

The invention will be further described in connection with the drawings, in which- Fig. 1 shows the jack in perspective;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the jack partly broken away showing the lifting arm;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

The tubular column 1 forms one leg of the jack. The other legs 2 and 3 are connected with the tubular column in any suitable manner, as by the bracket 4. Alternatively, they may be connected to the tubular column below the bracket. The tubular column is slotted at 6 from its top to its bottom. The base 8 on the tubular column and the bases 9 on the other two legs prevent the jack from settling into the ground or other surface on which the jack is operated.

There is a thrust bearing (not shown) within the portion 10 of the bracket. This supports the lift screw 11. The handle 12 is provided to turn the lift screw and it is so designed that it may be turned in an are over the top of the screw and will then fold against the legs of the tripod. These legs are connected by the chain 14 which prevents them from spreading. When not in use the handle and the three legs may be folded into a compact bundle.

The lifting arm is formed of two stampings 17 which are glove duplicates of one another. They are riveted together at 18 with their outlines coinciding. They are cut away at 19 so as to engage the malleable nut 20 which is threaded on the lift screw 11. The stampings may fit loosely over the nut so that they may be moved angularly with respect to the nut so that the stampings may be tilted without causing the nut to bind on the screw. The portions 22 of the stampings are rounded to fit loosely over the lift screw and they hold the lifting arm to the 2,739,786 Patented Mar. 27, 1956 screw as a sub-assembly prior to incorporation in the tubular column. Rounding these portions also strengthens the lifting arm. The flanges 27 are flared outwardly at the top of the lifting arm and slide on the inner surface of the tubular column on both sides of the slot 6.

To assemble the jack, first the lifting arm may be threaded onto the lift screw by means of the nut 20. The bracket 4 is placed over the top of the column and riveted in place by the rivets 30. The handle is inserted in a hole in the top of the lift screw and held in place by the cap 31. The legs 2 and 3 are pivotally fastened to the bracket at 32 and the chain 14 is attached. The order of assembling the parts is not essential to the invention.

The lifting arm is notched at 35 to facilitate engagement of the arm with a bumper or the like. When the lifting arm is properly located under the object to be lifted the handle 12 is revolved, turning the lift screw. This lifts the nut 20 and the lifting arm with it. The bottom of the lift screw is free to move laterally within the tubular column. This permits the back surface of the nut 20 to serve as a bearing surface which slides on the back inner surface of the column when the jack is carrying a load (Fig. 4). The lifting arm tilts forwardly and the flanges 27 support it, their outer surfaces serving as bearing surfaces sliding against the front inner surface of the tubular column (Fig. 3). To prevent the lifting arm from tilting sharply and binding against the screw or the inner surfaces of the column, the lifting arm is made with a considerable distance between the nut 20 and the flanges 27.

Although preferably the nut is located at the bottom of the lifting arm and the flanges are located at the top, these may be reversed so that the nut is at the top of the lifting arm and slides against the inner surface of the front of the tubular column and the flanges are at the bottom of the lifting arm and slide against the inner surface of the back of the column. By designing the jack so that the lift screw is movable in the column and the weight lifted is partially supported by flanges of the lifting arm which slide on the inner surface of the column, and particularly by providing a considerable distance between these flanges and the nut, the tendency of the lifting arm to tilt and bind on the lift screw is prevented.

The invention is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of one side of the column, a lift screw in the column and supported at only one end so that the other end may be moved laterally Within the column, means for turning the screw, and a lifting arm projecting through the slot and slidable therein which includes a portion of considerable length within the column, with threaded means at one end of said length engaging the screw and having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against one inner surface of the tubular column, and means at the other end having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the oppo- 1 site inner surface of the column when a weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column.

2. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of one side of the column, a lift screw in the column supported only at the top of the column, means for turning the screw, and a lifting arm projecting through the slot and slidable therein which includes a portion of considerable length within the column, with threaded means near the bottom of said length engaging the screw and having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against the inner surface of the tubular column opposite the slot, and means near the top of the lifting arm having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the inner surface of the column on both sides of the slot when a weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column.

3. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of the column, a lift screw in the column and supported at only one end so that the other end may be moved laterally within the column, means for turning the screw, and a lifting arm projecting through the slot and slidable therein, the arm being formed of a malleable threaded nut and two stampings which are glove duplicates of one another and fastened together with their outlines coinciding, the nut being threaded on the screw and having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against one inner surface of the column, one end of the stampings being engaged with the nut to move therewith, the stampings being flared at their opposite ends with an area of each flared portion having a surface adapted to serve as. a bearing surface and to slide against the opposite inner surface of the column when a Weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column and the screw is turned.

4. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of the column, a lift screw in the column and supported only at the top thereof in a thrust hearing so that the other end may be moved laterally within the column, a handle connected with the top of the screw for turning the same, and a lifting arm projecting through the slot and slidable therein, the arm being. formed of a malleable threaded nut and two stampings which are glove duplicates of one another and fastened together outside the column with the outlines thereof coinciding, the portions of the stampings inside of the column being of considerable length, the nut being threaded on the screw and having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against the inner surface of the column opposite the slot, and the lower end of said lengths being engaged with the nut to move therewith, the tops of said lengths of the stampings being flared outwardly inside the column with each having asurface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and to slide on the inner surface thereof on both sides of the slot when a Weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column and the screw is turned, and portions of the stampings between the nut and said flared areas loosely embracing the screw.

5. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of one side of the column, a lift screw in the column supported at only one end so that the other end may be moved laterally within the column, means for turning the screw, a lifting arm the major portion of which is stamped sheet metal, which arm projects through the slot and is slidable within the column and slot and includes a stamped portion of considerable length within the column, and a nut threaded on the screw and engaged with the said stamped portion of the arm within the column and near one: end thereof so as to be movable only integrally with the arm, the nut having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against one inner surface of the tubular column, the other end of said stamped portion of the arm having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the opposite inner surface of the column when a weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column.

6. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of one side of the column, a lift screw in the column supported at only one end so that the other end may be moved laterally within the column, means for turning the screw, a lifting arm the major portion of which is stamped sheet metal, which arm projects through the slot and is slidable within the column and slot and includes a stamped portion of considerable length within the column, and a nut threaded on the screw and engaged with the said stamped portion of the arm within the column and near the bottom thereof so as to be movable only integrally with the arm, the nut having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slide against one inner surface of the tubular column, the top of the lifting arm having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the inner surface of the column on both sides of the slot when a weight is applied to the lifting arm outside of the column.

7. In a jack, a tubular column adapted to be supported on its lower end, a slot extending substantially the length of one side of the column, a lift screw in the column supported at only one end so that the other end may be moved laterally within the column, means for turning the screw, a lifting arm composed of a nut and a hook portion which book portion proiects through the slot and is slidable within the column and slot and with a hook located outside the column, the nut being threaded on the screw and located below the hook portion with the hook portion resting thereon, the hook portion being movable angularly with respect to the nut so that the hook portion may be tilted without causing the nut to bind on the screw, the rear of the nut having. a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface and slidable on the inner surface of the rear of the column and the hook portion being provided with means having a surface adapted to serve as a bearing surface for sliding engagement with the inner surface of the front of the column when a weight is applied to the book of the lifting arm outside of the column.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,125,493 Foster Aug. 2, 1938 2,212,051 Saunders Aug. 20, 1940 2,608,382 Palka Aug. 26, -2 2,609,178 Kear-ful et al Sept. 2, 1952 2,630,295 Lucker Mar. 3, 1953 2,663,542 Lincoln et al Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,007,116 France May 2, 1952 

